A stage beyond her years: 12-year-old Bharatanatyam dancer Neetara Nair set for Kalakshetra debut

CHENNAI: At an age when most children are balancing school and hobbies, 12-year-old Bharatanatyam dancer Neetara Nair is preparing to take the stage at Chennai's prestigious Kalakshetra with Govinda: A Tale of Faith, an original dance-drama curated and choreographed by her guru, acclaimed Bharatanatyam exponent Puja Unni. 

For Bharatanatyam exponent Puja Unni, Govinda: A Tale of Faith is more than an original dance production—it is a deeply personal journey. the guru says the production emerged from a place of introspection .This is the first solo dance-drama production that I'm working on. It was really challenging to decide where and how to start. I simply wrote whatever came to me without judging it, and there are barely any changes to what I wrote then."This was my personal journey of longing, revelation and surrender," she says, adding that faith guided every step of the creative process. Initially, the working title was The Call of Govinda. It was only through the making of this production that we arrived at its present name.

Structured in five chapters, Govinda: A Tale of Faith follows the emotional and spiritual journey of a seeker , from longing and self-discovery to revelation and surrender.

Unlike many Bharatanatyam productions that revisit familiar mythological narratives, Govinda turns inward, exploring an emotional journey instead. For Puja, that choice was intentional.

The idea was to push Neetara beyond her comfort zone , to help her attempt something she hadn't done before while highlighting her strengths and working on her weaker areas. I wanted to create a dance-drama using the language of a body trained in Bharatanatyam rather than making a conventional Bharatanatyam production. Instead of retelling an existing story," I wanted to see the world through the lens of a 12-year-old," she explains.

That vision could only be realised because of the trust she had in her disciple. Puja says Neetara's resilience and willingness to embrace challenges made her the ideal choice for an experimental production.

One thing I really appreciate about Neetara is that she accepts situations as they come. Whether circumstances match expectations or not, she always finds a way to do it anyway. She is very clear about one thing—she wants to dance well. That faith in herself, in what she does and in whatever comes her way became the foundation of this production," she says. "We've created this work with utmost sincerity and devotion, and now the work itself is guiding us."

The production blends Bharatanatyam with original music, theatrical design and storytelling in Telugu, Sanskrit and English. According to Puja, every artistic element was carefully woven together to serve the narrative.

"My composer, Easwar sir, and I were constantly in touch throughout the process. We kept sharing ideas and snippets with each other so that the music and visuals evolved together. That helped us maintain a balance where every element supports the story instead of competing with it."

For Neetara, performing at Kalakshetra is a dream she never saw coming. The young dancer says she only learnt about the venue after the production's premiere.

"I had no idea where I would be performing. When my parents told me it was Kalakshetra, I was shocked and grateful. I had watched great artistes like Methil Devika ma'am perform there, and to now dance on the same stage feels incredible," she says.

Although Govinda explores profound emotions such as longing and surrender, Neetara says, "I tried to imagine how the character would feel at every stage of the journey and related it to moments in my own life when I had experienced similar emotions."

''During the final rehearsal on stage, I turned back and looked at the prop of Lord Venkateswara. With the lighting and music, he looked so magnificent that I almost wanted to cry. It felt exactly like what the protagonist experiences in that moment," she recalls.

Balancing school with rehearsals required careful planning, but the young dancer says "I create a schedule and plan every part of my evening so I can manage everything. I also try to have fun while practising because that keeps me motivated and stops me from getting too tired."

"We're equally excited and nervous about presenting our work before an audience that understands Bharatanatyam so deeply. At the same time, this is our first work of its kind, and we're happy to hear everyone's thoughts and feedback. Beyond Bharatanatyam, this is a work of art born out of our love for something, and I'm simply grateful that it has taken shape and come this far." the guru adds.

Asked if she has a favourite moment in the production, Puja finds it difficult to choose.

"Every dance, every dialogue and every piece of music is special to me," she says. "But I particularly love the way Neetara performs  Raaraa  and how beautifully that sequence has come together. Another favourite is Brahmam Okate. When we presented it in Dubai, the audience began clapping and singing along. Watching that interaction between Neetara and the audience was surreal."

"Sometimes we deny children meaningful opportunities simply because of their age. These young artistes are the torchbearers of our culture, and they often teach us just as much as we teach them." she added.

Neetara hopes audiences her age leave with a fresh perspective too.

"I hope children come and experience the magic of Govinda. They may discover that classical dance isn't old-fashioned, but a beautiful and exciting way of expressing emotions."

Govinda: A Tale of Faith will be presented at Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai, on Sunday, August 2, at 6.30 pm. Choreographed and directed by Puja Unni, the production features original music composed by Easwar Ramakrishnan. Presented by ARTMOS in association with Spanda, tickets are available on Tikkl.